Sola flowers do not wilt, weigh very little and can be dyed to a palette, which makes them a practical choice for weddings, events, festive décor and gifting. Planners and florists can make pieces well ahead of the date, and couples and guests can keep them afterwards.
This guide is for event companies, florists, wedding suppliers, gift and hamper brands and retailers. It shows which sola products suit each use, with examples from the Floral Mongers catalogue, and what to specify when you order.
Why sola works for events
- Made ahead. Bouquets, garlands and table pieces can be produced and packed weeks before an event, with no cold chain.
- Light and easy to handle. Useful for hanging décor, headpieces and pieces that travel.
- Colour to order. Natural ivory suits classic and bridal themes; dyed flowers can follow a palette, approved on a sample.
- Kept afterwards. Guests and couples can take pieces home as keepsakes.
- A traditional wedding material. In West Bengal, sola has long been used for wedding headgear, garlands and festive decoration.
Bridal bouquets and hand-tied posies
For bridal and bridesmaid bouquets, ivory sola roses and layered blooms give a soft, classic look. The Sola Bridal Bouquet with Gypsophila (AR75) combines ivory sola roses with dried gypsophila on a jute-wrapped handle. Round hand-tied designs such as AR40 (blush and peach-cream) and AR67 (cream and two-tone lotus-style blooms) work for bridesmaids and décor. For favours and small accents, the mini sola rose posy (AR70) is compact enough for place settings.
Florists who prefer to build their own designs can use stemmed flowers such as SO98 (white), SO99 (dusty rose) and SO101 (pastel peony buds), or loose heads for buttonholes and corsages.
Garlands, torans and hanging décor
Sola garlands have a long tradition at weddings and festivals in Bengal and translate well to event backdrops, arches and doorways:
- Looped garlands in neutral or festive colourways, for example AR48 (ivory with tan-brown roses), AR50 (cream with yellow accents) and AR51 (a marigold-inspired cream and orange pattern).
- Dense ring garlands such as Garland Type 1 (AR05), with ivory frilled blooms and red roses.
- Hanging strands like AR55, a straight strand of small sola roses with a ring at each end for hanging or linking.
- Torans for doorways, such as the Toran (AR15).
When ordering garlands, give the length or number of pieces you need to cover a backdrop, the colour pattern and how they will be hung.
Table centrepieces and venue décor
Free-standing table bouquets stand on their own base, which makes them easy to place on tables, reception desks and buffets. The range includes AR24 (coral-pink and cream), Table Bouquet – Natural Ivory (AR77) and Table Bouquet – Pink (AR78). Horizontal sprays such as Rose – Grass – Fan (AR11) suit long tables and mantels.
Festive and seasonal décor
Dyed sola pieces follow seasonal palettes well. For Christmas and winter, see the Table Bouquet – Festive Red (AR76) and the red-and-cream potted arrangement AR73. For Diwali and other festivals, garlands and torans in orange, yellow and red are a natural fit. Pine cones and painted pods from Exotic Botanicals complete seasonal designs.
Gifting, hampers and favours
- Gift toppers: single sola roses or small heads tied onto boxes and hampers, for example the Sola Roma Rose (SO28) or colour assortments such as Burgundy & Ivory (SO105).
- Wrapped bouquets: ready-wrapped designs such as AR41 and the kraft-wrapped AR79 and AR80.
- Potpourri gift bags: such as AR62 and AR64, or your own blend built from potpourri components.
- Scented favours: a sola flower with a wick and a small bottle of fragrance oil makes a simple diffuser gift; see Sola Flowers for Reed Diffusers.
For branded packaging, see Private-Label Packaging for Dried Botanicals.
Planning and ordering
- Start early. Allow time for samples, colour approval, production and shipping; lead times are confirmed in your quotation.
- Share a palette. Send colour references (swatches, Pantone numbers or photos) and approve dyed shades on a sample.
- Count pieces per setting. List quantities per design: bouquets, table pieces, garland lengths and favours.
- Allow for natural variation. Handmade flowers differ slightly from piece to piece; see Grades and Natural Variation.
- Plan packing. Say whether pieces should be packed individually for set-up or in bulk, and store them dry until the event.
Every piece in our Bouquets and Sola Flowers ranges has a catalogue code. Add the codes you need to your RFQ list and request a quotation, or request samples first. Custom colours, components and sizes for commercial quantities are covered on our Custom Development page. To learn more about the material, read Sola Wood Flowers: What Buyers Should Know and Sola Flower Types and Forms.